Switch-box.



J. C. BOYTON L 0. H. NICKERSUN.-

SWITCH sox. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 23.19I4.

lwI 1 Patented Deo.. 11,1912;

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SWITCH-nox.

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Application led January 23, 191e. 'Serial No. 813,844.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that We, (1) JOHN C. BoY'roN, (2) @nis HQ Nicxnnson, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a'certain new and useful lmprovement in Switch-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to switch boxes, such as are used in interior electric light wiring, for the housing or accommodationtbii electric light switches; and especially to that` type of box which comprises a body portion and removable sides, whereby two or more body portions may be connected to produce a box for the accommodation of two or more electric switches, the sides being omitted, in such a construction, between the adjacent body portions.

The objects of the invention are to provide a box lof the above character which 1s ot1 simple construction; which is comparatively cheap of production; and which can` be quickly and easily converted from a single switch box to a multiple switch box for the electricv and which, either as a single or a multiple switch box, will aiiord an unobstructed cavity of maximum dimensions as compared with its exterior dimensions.

Further objects oi' the invention are to` rangement as will render said sides inter changeable and will enable the joining of two or more body portions 'for the production of amultiple switch box.

The above objects we attainby the construction illustrated inthe accompanying kdrawings lforming a part hereof, wherein Figure 1 represents a perspective view of our improved switch box; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the box with the sides removed and spaced from the body portion in orde-r to 4clearly illustratev certain structural details;

and Fig. 3 representsI a front elevation of a' multiple switch box made up of three body portions and two sides.

sembled.

the horizontal portion of the tongue 6 is l substantially in the plane of or slight-ly above the top surface of the wall 1. A tongue 8, identical to the tongue 6 and having an upturned end 9, projects from'the opposite side' of the bottom wall 2. Near its edge opposite the tongue 6, the wall 1 is provided with a slot 10, the same being in transverse alinem'ent with the tongue and being of a width and length which corresponds, approximately, to the width and thickness of the downturned portion l of the tongue 6. lt will be mentioned at this time, that this slot is spaced from the adjacent edge of the wall 1 a distance equal to the thickness of one of the removable sides of the box and that the inner surface of the downturned portion 7 of the tongue (i is spaced from the adjacent edge of the wall 1 a corresponding distance. rlhe end wall 2 of the body portion of the box is also provided with a slot l1 identical to the slot 10 of the wall 1, and the slot 11 is located, with respect to the tongue 8, precisely as the slot 10 is situated with respect to the tongue (i. Comparatively large headed screws 12 and 13 are threaded through the endwalls 1 and 2, respectively, adjacent the aforesaid. slots, the distance between the slots and the screws being such as will cause the head of the screw to project slightly over the slot.,

The removable sides 14 and 15 are identical, each consisting of a metallicplate which The lower edge of the side la is provided with a notch 16 for cooperation with the tongue 8, the horizontal wall of the notch being Substantially in line with' the outside surface of the wall 2 when the parts are as- A tongue 17 extends from the up per .edge of the plate 11i 'and is in vertical alinement with the notch '16, the width of said tongue being the samejas that of the lill i previously tongue 1 mentioned tongues 6 and 8. The projects laterally from the top edge of the plate 14 and itsend is bent downward' in a plane parallel with the said plate, the adjacent surfaces of the plate and the tongue being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the thickness ot.` the plate 14 and the underneath surface of the horizontal portion of the tongue being in substantially the plane of the upper edge of the plate. .The upper edge of the side 15 is notched at 18, and a tongue 19 projects from then 'placed over` the tongue 18 and the plate 14 is moved downwardly until the substan tially horizontal portion of the tongue 17 rests upon the surface of the wall 1, and the horizontal wall of the notch 16 is in contact with the tongue 8, the upturned portion of said tongue lying against the outer surface of the side 14. It will be understood, of course, that, ,during this operation, the screw 12 is unscrewed a suiiicient distance to permit the tongue 17 to be easily inserted within the slot 10. 7When the side is in position, the screw 12 is screwed inward until its head is in firm engagement with the tongue 17, thereby'securely locking the plate against end wise movement, the lateral Inovement ofthe plate with respect tothe body.

portion being prevented by the interlocking of the tongue 17 with the slot 10 and the engagement of the upturned portion 9 of the.

tongue 8 with the outer surface of the side. In 'like manner, the sideY 15 may be applied to the opposite side of the box, the screw 13 being used to lock the latter side plate in position. j

From the fact that the removable sides are identical, (only that one is inverted with l respect to the other) and that the sam'e may be said of the opposed vertical sides of the body portion of the box, it is obviousv that said removable sides are interchangeable, and that,-to produce a multiple boX of two or'niore body' portions, it simply requires the interlocking of the tongues 6 with the slots 10 and the tongues 8 with the slots 11 of adjacent body portions, the assemblage being held as a unitary structure by the bearing of the screws 1:2 and ,13 upon the adjacent tongues 6 and 8, respectively. The ends of the gang box are closed by the side plates 14 and 15, as shown fin Fig. 3.

Projecting upward and downward from the frontedges of the end walls/i1 and 2, respectively, are ears 20 having vthreaded apertures 2l for the reception of screws nea-asie whereby a face plate may be secured to the box; and the end walls 1 and 2 are also fprovided with threaded apertures 23 for screws whereby securing brackets of any approved type may be applied t'o the box, it

vbeing deemed advisable to omit said brackets from the drawings in order to prevent confusion. The sides 14 and 15 are provided with knock out plugs 14a and 15, respectively.

While we have described our box as consisting of a body portion and side plates, it is obvious that a demand will arise for body portions separate from the side plates, for use in the production of multiple boxes; and )ve wish it to be understood, therefore, that ourinvention comprehends an article of manufacture consisting only of such body portion.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. A box forthe purpose described comprising a body portion having end walls each of which is provided with a permanent tongue, the tongues projecting from the' diagonally opposed side edges of said end walls,

and each wall being also provided with an opening, side plates which have notches for the reception of the tongues and projections which are arranged to occupy the aforesaid openings, and means permanently carried by the end plates and located to one side of and adapted to engage the projections when the same occupy the slots thereby to hold the side plates against movement with respect to the body portion.

2. A box for the purpose described comprising a body portion having end walls each of which has a permanent tongue projecting fromone of its Side edges, each tongue having a lateral extension which is spaced from the adjacent edge of the wall, each end wall being also provided with an opening, side plates which have notches that open toward the end of the plate for the reception of the aforesaid tongues and lprojections which extend in the direction of' the notched ends of the respective plates and which are adapted to occupy the aforesaid openings, and. means upon the body portion of the box which are arranged to engage the aforesaid projections to prevent endwise .movement of the plates.

3. A box for the purpose set forth comprising a body portion having end walls provided -each with an integral tongue, the tongues projecting from the diagonally opposed side edges of said end walls, each tongue having a lateral extension which is spaced from the adjacent edge of the wall, each end wall being provided also with :in opening which is in lateral alinement with its tongue and which is located near its edge opposite the edge from which the tongue projects, side plates having notches for the freeeption of the aforesaid tongues and proour signatures in the presence of tWo Wit- 1 jections which are adapted to occupy the messes.

aforesaid openings, and screws threaded into JOHN C. BOYTON. the end walls and arranged to repose along- ORIS H. NICKERSON. side-the projections with their heads over- Witnesses:

lying the sameT BRENNAN B. WEST,

In testimony whereof, we-hereunto ax HUGH B'. MCG1LL.- 

